Base bracket for shelves



Nov. 17, 1964 F. P. TUCKER 3,157,252

BASE BRACKET FOR SHELVES Filed July 13. 1960 FIGURE I IN'VENTOR F. PHILIP TUCKER A fr United States Patent 3,157,252 BASE BRACKET FOR SHELVES Frank Philip Tucker, Gooseneck Point Road,

Oceanport, NJ. Filed July 13, 1960, Ser..N0. 42,609 9 Claims. (Cl. 189-28) The present invention is broadly concerned with improved shelf equipment. It is more specifically directed toward an adjustable telescopic base bracket whereby a greater rigidity and strength is imparted to the entire installation. The base bracket of the present invention permits ease of adjustment to compensate for irregular floor surfaces, utilizing various sized shims to secure the proper leveling. The base bracket assembly can also be provided with a rubber or equivalent underlay in order to prevent the equipment from shifting or moving.

It is well known in the art to use various types of construction for library bookstacks and open shelf filing equipment. In general, the equipment now known in the art is designed for ease of construction, strength and for ease of access. However, when this type of equip: ment comprises a series or a plurality of vertically extending posts which are adapted by slots or by ears or by equivalent means to receive and to retain adjustable shelving, a number of problems are encountered.

In the first place, the load should be distributed over a relatively wide area of the floor rather than only at the base of the vertically extending posts. Also relatively long posts in many instances do not have the desired rigidity and strength. Also with respect to many floors, which are not true, it is difficult to secure the proper alignment of the plurality of posts, thereby making it difiicult to properly attach the shelves to the post and to readily adjust the shelves on the post from one position to another when desired.

In accordance with the present invention, this is secured by the utilization of a unique improved gusset memher which comprises a telescopic base bracket. This improved member to be used in conjunction with bracket stacks of the type described may be readily understood by reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments of the same.

FIG. 1 shows the gusset in conjunction with floor shelving attached thereto, while FIG. 2 illustrates, in more detail, the construction of the gusset or the telescopic base member.

Referring specifically to FIG. 1, numeral 1 designates a section of a vertically extending post member. This member extends from the floor 2 upwardly, and may be attached at its top to the ceiling for additional support. For simplicity, only a section of one post is illustrated. It is to. be understood a plurality of posts are used in proper alignment and shelving is attached to a plurality of these posts by conventional means, such as'by means of slots 3.

The tubular base bracket is designated by numeral 4. In essence, this unit comprises two wing sections, 4a and 4b, positioned on either side of a rectangular hollow section 40. This latter section is adapted to receive the upwardly extending post 1 and be rigidly afiixed to the post by means of bolt 5 or bolts or equivalent means which extend through openings in section 4c and in the post. Floor shelves 6 are shown positioned on the floor and attached to the base bracket.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2, similar elements are illustrated by similar numerals utilized in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, bracket 4 also comprises a flanged section 4d, which extends horizontally outwardly from the wings 4a and 4b at its lower edge and is designed to lie along the floor. This flanged element, or section, is adapted to be rigidly attached to the floor by means of ice perforations 7 and suitable affixing means, such as nails, bolts, pegs and the like. These wing sections, 4a and 4b, also contain suitable means 8 by which the lower shelf section 6 can be attached thereto. In accordance with a unique element of the present invention, each particular tubular post can be vertically aligned with respect to other posts by means of shim elements 9 'which can raise or lower the post to the desired height. This permits precise alignment of a plurality of posts with respect to one another which gives the unique advantages as hereinbefore mentioned. The positioning of these shims beneath the posts is permitted due to the unique construction of the bracket intermediate the wing sections 4a and 4b, whereby this area is cut out at the lower side so as to permit the positioning of the shims.

It is to be noted that perforations 10 in 40 permit very rigid affixing of the base section to the post by means of bolts or equivalent means which extend through perforations 10 in 4c and through perforations 3 in the lower end of the post. These latter bolts run transverse to bolt 5.

The dimensions of the unit may vary appreciably and will also be designed to be adapted to meet specific problems. For example, it is within the concept of the present invention to have section 40 to be of circular construction so as to reinforce circular posts. Other geometric designs may be utilized such as hexagon, octagon and the like.

In general, a desirable width of the flange is about 1 inch, although this measurement may likewise be altered to meet specific problems. The vertically extending posts, for example, may be spaced from about 3' to about 10 or farther apart. The lengths of the base section likewise may vary from about 2' to 10' and longer, depending upon the specific installation.

What is claimed is:

1. Improved shelf equipment having greater strength and rigidity which comprises in combination a vertically extending upright adapted to have shelving attached thereto by suitable means, a solid panel base member the faces of which extend vertically from a floor and the lower edge of which is adapted to be positioned along said floor and which extends outwardly from the center line of said upright at the lower end thereof, said base member having an opening, the axis of which is parallel to the planes of said faces, said opening extending there through and adapted to receive the lower end of said upright, said opening being of greater width than the thickness of said panel, and means for rigidly afiixing said base member to said floor and to said lower end of said upright.

2. Shelf equipment as defined by claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said base member adapted to be positioned along the floor is flanged to extend outwardly abutting said floor.

3. Shelf equipment as defined by claim 2 wherein said upright is a rectangular post.

4. Improved shelf equipment having greater strength and rigidity which comprises in combination an upright extending vertically from a floor and adapted to have shelving attached thereto by suitable means, a substantially rectangular panel base member, the face plane of which is perpendicular to said floor and the lower long side of which is adapted to be positioned along said floor, said base member having an opening extending therethrough in substantially the center thereof and adapted to encompass the lower end of said upright, the longitudinal axis of said opening being parallel to the plane of said surface, said opening being of greater width than the thickness of said panel and means for aflixing said base member to said floor and to said lower end of said upright.

wherein said upright is rigidly attached to said base member by positioning bolted elements through said slots.

9. Apparatus as defined by claim 4 wherein said means for afiixing said base member to said lower end of said upright comprises bolts extending through openings in said base member and through openings in said lower end of said upright.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,634 7/35 Bohnsack 189-34 1,024,615 4/12 Brown 189-42 1,793,525 2/31 Stalford 189-13 2,763,342 9/56 French 18928 X 2,787,382 4/57 Williams 211--148 2,872,049 2/59 Slater.

2,968,374 1/61 Bohnsack 189-34 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

C. D. ANGEL, Examiner. 

1. IMPROVED SHELF EQUIPMENT HAVING GREATER STRENGTH AND RIGIDITY WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A VERTICALLY EXTENDING UPRIGHT ADAPTED TO HAVE SHELVING ATTACHED THERETO BY SUITABLE MEANS, A SOLID PANEL BASE MEMBER THE FACES OF WHICH EXTEND VERTICALLY FROM A FLOOR AND THE LOWER EDGE OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ALONG SAID FLOOR AND WHICH EXTENDS OUTWARDLY FROM THE CENTER LINE OF SAID UPRIGHT AT THE LOWER END THEREOF, SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING, THE AXIS OF WHICH IS PARALLEL TO THE PLANES OF SAID FACES, SAID OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE LOWER END OF SAID UPRIGHT, SAID OPENING BEING OF GREATER WIDTH THAN THE THICKNESS OF SAID PANEL, AND MEANS FOR RIGIDLY AFFIXING SAID BASE MEMBER TO SAID FLOOR AND TO SAID LOWER END OF SAID UPRIGHT. 